


Love was made for me and you

by nessnessquik



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Philinda are in love okay, in every universe and every situation, various tumblr prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 01:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 9,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9213428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nessnessquik/pseuds/nessnessquik
Summary: A collection of various prompts I took/drabbles I wrote on Tumblr that are too short to have their own work, but I wanted to organize them all together on here.Everything from AUs to canon divergence to future canon possibilities. Every prompt has Philinda, but there are other characters/pairings as well.(Title is from the Nat King Cole song, L-O-V-E)





	1. Missing You (Philinda and slight Trip/Daisy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda Teacher AU (written in two parts)
> 
> For Liz.

Phil rubbed at his eyes tiredly, trying to stop the words from blurring in front of his face. 

It was late, Melinda had probably already fallen asleep, and here he was, still grading papers. 

He loved his job, but all he wanted right now was to hold his wife in his arms and fall asleep to the sound of her breathing, not sitting on the uncomfortable kitchen chair with a lamp and five more research papers to read through.

Phil sighed and picked up his pen to begin the next essay when two gentle hands suddenly slid around his shoulders, beginning to massage them slowly. Phil stiffened in surprise for a split second before relaxing back into the chair and letting her fingers work their magic.

Both stayed silent as Melinda worked her way to his neck. Her small–but strong–hands eased the tension away, and Phil’s head was lolling in minutes.

After a few moments, Melinda began leaving soft kisses on the top of Phil’s head, on the side, onto his ear, then his neck. It was only when she began kissing his neck in earnest that the silence was finally broken by Phil’s low, quiet moan.

Melinda pressed her cheek to the side of his head and smiled. She slid one of her hands down from his neck to rest over his heart. 

“How do you make everything so much better?” Phil murmured, covering her hand with his, eyes still blissfully shut. 

“Must be a gift.” Melinda replied dryly.

“I’ll say.” Phil tugged on her arm until she came to sit in his lap, her back rested against the kitchen table. “Thank you.” The warmth in his blue eyes made Melinda’s heart skip a beat, even after all these years. Her own eyes slipped closed in anticipation as he leaned toward her.

Phil kissed her thoroughly, making his gratitude clear through his actions rather than his words. 

“Phil?” Melinda spoke in between his kisses. “You love me, right?”

Phil stopped abruptly, staring at his wife in disbelief. “No, I just enjoy kissing whatever woman happens to sit on my lap when I’m supposed to be grading essays.” 

Melinda rolled her eyes. “Not what I meant.” She trailed a finger down Phil’s neck, not meeting his gaze. “You love me no matter what, right?”

“Of course, Melinda, _nothing_ could change that. Nothing. Why would you ever–” Phil paused as he noticed the look on her face. “Oh no.”

“So then you love me enough to go out and–I don’t know–” Melinda wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest against his seductively. “Buy me some carrot cake?”

Phil groaned, but he wasn’t able to stop his hands from grasping her lower back and holding her there to keep her body close to him. “I should have known. Last week you wanted nachos randomly, now carrot cake? You have too much power over me,” he teased. 

“Yeah, well,” Melinda kissed his chin. “It’ll seem more normal over the next few months.” Her lips pressed against his throat. “A lot of weird things will become normal for a woman in my condition, or so I read.”

“A woman in your–”

Phil froze, his mouth gaping open. Melinda bit her lip and pulled back to look at her husband, pure happiness causing her eyes to shine even in the dim light.

“A woman–!” His voice became more high pitched.

Melinda laughed as Phil’s hands came up to cup her cheeks. She put her own over his when she felt his hands shaking slightly.

“You’re–” Phil sucked in a breath. “You’re _pregnant?”_

Melinda nodded, feeling her throat close up with the emotions she could see being played out on Phil’s own face.

“Oh my–” Phil kissed her hard, his shock and joy rendering him speechless. 

For a brief moment, anyway.

“ _Lin,_ I’m a dad? You’re a mom?” The wonder in his voice couldn’t be faked or masked. All those years of trying, the endless waiting, all without any results. And now–

Melinda let out a choked laugh as happy tears filled her eyes. She grabbed one of his hands and held it to her stomach. “There’s a baby growing in there, Phil.”

Phil’s mouth opened again, but all he was able to do was shake his head and mutter, “I love you so much.” 

He kissed her passionately as her fingers came up to comb through his hair.

 _Wait_. Phil forced himself to break away from her lips. “Wait,” He repeated aloud. They were both breathing hard. “What about your carrot cake?” 

Even as he spoke, Phil couldn’t help but caress the sensitive skin at her waist, unable to keep his hands off of her. His wife. His _pregnant_ wife.

Melinda shook her head and, in one swift movement, straddled him. Her eyes were even darker than usual. “That craving is gone. Now all I want is you.”

He stood up and Melinda wrapped her legs around his waist as their lips met in a searing kiss. Phil turned away from the table, carrying his wife away from the meaningless papers scattered across the wood. Grading was the last thing on his mind right now.

He had a pregnant wife to take care of.

* * *

_Some months later..._

“Who can tell me something they know about World War II?” Phil walked around his lecture hall. It was his last–yet surprisingly his favorite–class of the week. “Yes, Daisy.”

Daisy put down her raised hand. “It’s the war Captain America fought in.” Trip snorted next to her.

The class erupted into laughter. It was a known joke around the college campus. Everyone seemed to find out about Phil’s admiration (although Melinda would call it obsession) for the superhero before they even passed freshman year.

“If you think you’re going to get extra credit for that answer, Ms. Johnson…” Phil started seriously before breaking into a smile. “You’re absolutely right.”

The class laughed again and Phil turned toward his desk, still smiling when he happened to see his phone light up with a text.

Phil hesitated as he glanced at the message, then looked back up to his class. “On that note, how about we start the weekend early today?”

The class exploded once again, into cheers this time. The class filed out, Daisy and Trip passing by with a smile and a “You’re the best, D.C.!”, “See you next week, Doc!”

Phil nodded to all his students, hiding his anxiety with his smile. His text from Melinda had just said, “ _Waiting in your office for you._ ” He had no idea what that meant. Was she alright? Did he forget something she needed? As soon as the last student left, Phil grabbed his things and locked the door behind him, taking the stairs to his office two at a time. He burst in to see Melinda perched on his desk with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

Phil shut the door behind him and went up to her, slightly panting. “What happened? Are you alright?” He scanned her up and down, rubbing her arms gently.

“I’m fine, Phil.” Melinda stated calmly, smiling into his worried blue eyes. “It was just,” She shrugged. “The baby missed you.”

“The _baby_ missed me.” Phil repeated, his worry dissipating immediately. A goofy grin started growing slowly on his face. 

“That’s right.” Melinda said firmly, but it was defied by the playfulness lurking in her brown eyes.

Phil leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on Melinda’s round belly. “Hi, baby. Daddy missed you too. Have you been nice to Mommy today? It’s important to be nice to Mommy. Even when she sabotages your job and causes you to panic for no reason.” Phil looked up accusingly at his wife from her stomach.

Melinda scoffed. “I could leave, you know.” The baby kicked in protest. Melinda looked at her belly and frowned. “Traitor.”

Phil laughed and straightened slowly, a lopsided grin settling on his face. He pushed his way between her legs and put his arms around her. Melinda’s arms wrapped around his neck automatically. Phil brushed his nose against hers. “I’ll just have to convince you to stay then.” He murmured.

He kissed her, slow and sweet, letting the stress of the work day melt away as he focused on the feeling of her lips, her touch, their baby in between them. 

Phil felt the familiar thrill as Melinda sighed and relaxed completely in his arms, fingers playing with the ends of his hair lazily. 

“The baby _really_ missed you.” Melinda breathed as Phil began trailing kisses down her neck.

Phil chuckled low against her throat.

“I missed you too.”


	2. Returning From Maveth (Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fix/Add a Scene [after Phil returns from the alien planet]

She wasn’t sure what propelled her into his arms, but once she was there, she couldn’t tear herself away. 

Phil leaned his head onto hers and held her just as tight, thankfully. Melinda hated showing her weaknesses, but she _needed_ this. She needed her best friend. Needed to be sure he was really here and alive and not lost to her– _again_. 

Melinda adjusted her grip and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she remembered pushing the button that could have ensured his death. She had felt so disconnected then, but now, with Phil and Daisy and Mack and Fitz back, she could finally breathe again. 

After a few more moments, Melinda heard the rest of their team start to move all around them. Jemma held Fitz’s arm and he walked her to her room, Daisy and Lincoln finally pulled away from each other long enough for Daisy to announce almost dying always made her hungry. 

Phil swayed slightly, and Melinda moved with him, trying to shake herself from the comfort of his embrace. 

“Diving from a plane into a portal the size of a kitty pool, Phil? Really?” Melinda said softly in his ear, a watery smile tugging at her lips as he continued to hold her.

Phil let out a breath humorously. “One of those times I really wish someone could have been recording.”

Melinda snorted and pulled away to look into his face properly. Her smile faltered when she realized his wasn’t reaching his eyes. “Phil, are you alright?”

“No,” he answered heavily. He softened under her probing gaze. “But I’m better now, thanks to you.”

Melinda gripped his arm, wishing they were in a private area where she could ask him more questions. But she knew their communication didn’t always take many words. “I’m really glad you’re back.” She said, echoing his words from long ago. 

The faint light that appeared in his eyes assured her he knew what she meant.


	3. Brain Bleach (Daisy & Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda from another character’s perspective [Daisy slowly realizing that they're together now]
> 
> Set after the events of the Season 3 finale.

Daisy wasn’t sure what tipped her off first.

May and Coulson were almost always together. It was a normal occurrence for them to be seen walking around the base side by side, checking up on agents, weapons, science experiments, etc. But for some reason, ever since Daisy had come home, she’d noticed something…different in the air when they were around each other.

She couldn’t put her finger on it, but their looks seemed more lingering, their subtle touches more frequent, and their bodies seemed to gravitate even more toward each other when they entered a room. 

Daisy brushed it off and told herself she was just imagining things.

But a part of her kept hoping she wasn’t.

* * *

Jemma had insisted on a “family dinner” that night. Daisy knew it was mostly for her benefit, and she made sure to give her friend an assuring grin that she was grateful for her efforts. Jemma had somehow sweet talked Coulson into helping her cook for everyone, so they’d been in there together for most of the afternoon, planning and then carrying their dinner plans out.

Daisy was sitting in the kitchen, watching them work and making smart comments every now and then. Though the pain of losing Lincoln, Hive’s brainwash, and general fear of hurting the people she loves most were still heavy on her mind, Daisy relished the feeling of _home_ being with her team gave her. And after all, it wasn’t home unless she was making fun of Coulson’s obsession with Captain America, right?

When May appeared in the doorway, Coulson’s demeanor changed. He’d been relaxed before, but now he was…almost jolly. His eyes brightened and he joked to Jemma about not letting May step too close to the stove, otherwise everything on it would start to burn automatically. May rolled her eyes and shot back a retort, but Daisy wondered if she was imagining the extra softness of her gaze when Coulson looked at her.

Daisy was really starting to get suspicious when Coulson nearly bent his fork in half with his grip at dinner that night. She asked him if he was okay, and he nodded and smiled before she looked away. Daisy pretended to be engrossed in the story Fitz was telling, but she didn’t miss Coulson’s glare to May, who sat across from him and smirked back.

Daisy thought about asking Jemma if she knew what was up between them, but after noticing her and Fitz holding hands under the table, Daisy figured she had probably been to preoccupied to notice anything.

Daisy tried to convince herself that the reason May followed Coulson into his office that night was because they were probably going over a few more ops before bed, or maybe have a drink–which they did frequently–but she couldn’t get rid of the nagging doubt that she was missing something important.

* * *

When the old nightmares came back to her the next night, Daisy got up from her bed to walk around base, hoping the familiar surroundings would soothe her distress. She moved about soundlessly, her feet taking her on a familiar path to the gym. 

Daisy paused when she saw a light on in the room they used for sparring. She heard punches and grunts, followed by a soft laugh that she’d only heard a handful of times–May.

“That…was not fair.” Daisy heard Coulson panting.

“You’re back in the field now, I can’t go easy on you.” May answered, amusement still coloring her voice. 

Daisy heard a thud and another groan from Coulson. Her lips quirked up. May kicking Coulson’s butt during a sparring session? This was something she _had_ to see. And record, of course. For future blackmail purposes. Daisy shuffled to the cracked door and prepared her phone to take a video.

“You need to remember to expect the unexpected, Phil. Anything could happen in the field.”

Daisy hit record and moved her phone to slip through the crack in the door.

“Anything, huh?”

Daisy drew her eyebrows together at Coulson’s lowered tone.

“Mhmm.”

 _What is that nois_ –

Daisy froze.

No.

_Way._

Daisy pulled her phone away and stopped the recording. She held her breath and peeked through the doorway. Sure enough, there were her commanding officers, her _parent figures_ , making out on the mats like a couple of Academy cadets. 

Daisy watched in horror as Coulson rolled May onto her back easily and trailed his hand down her side. May’s answering moan was sure to haunt Daisy’s nightmares for the rest of her life.

Daisy quickly drew back and pressed her back against the wall, eyes bugging out and mouth wide open. She couldn’t stay and listen to this any longer.

After hearing Coulson’s out-of-breath, “Don’t know if I’ve mentioned this enough, but I _really_ like sparring with you.” and May’s low chuckle, Daisy fled.

Back in the safety of her room, Daisy pulled out her phone and went back to the video. Coulson’s arms had been pinned above his head and May was smiling down at him. Daisy paused it and felt a smile break out on her own face. They looked happier than she’d ever seen them. As gross as this was, Daisy wanted to cheer and yell about how ecstatic she was for them. 

She pressed ‘play’ again and watched as May bent her head down to Coulson’s, their lips meeting in the middle.

Okay, time to find brain bleach.


	4. After New York (Melinda & Fury)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda + Fury
> 
> After Phil dies in New York.
> 
> Influenced by this (https://twitter.com/loudestdork/status/744344669950091265) fanart (Darn you, Jan!).

Nick found her on the floor, sitting against the couch in Phil’s apartment, knuckles bleeding from the punching bag, wearing an old, too-big-to-be-hers SHIELD Academy shirt and holding a Captain America T-shirt to her chest as she stared blankly at a wall.

Nick saw a bottle of scotch–opened but full–sitting alone on the coffee table, two shattered glasses on the floor next to it, and felt his heart constrict.

“Agent May, I need you to come in.” Nick kept his voice monotone, not wanting to startle her.

Melinda just slowly turned her head toward him, Nick felt another jolt when he saw her eyes were bloodshot–from tears or alcohol, he wasn’t sure.

“He’s dead, Nick. _Dead_.” Melinda’s voice was raspy and pained, the tears starting to fall again and she tried in vain to blink them away. She gripped the shirt tighter. “Why would I ever go back?”

Nick slowly moved up to her and crouched on the floor next to her. Though he was their commanding officer, Phil and Melinda were two people he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he could trust. They’d known each other forever, it seemed. They were more than friends to him, they were like _family_. Which was why he put one hand gently on Melinda’s shoulder, the other wiped at the tears streaking down her face.

“You’d go back for Phil. Which is why I need you to come with me now.”

Nick stood back up to give Melinda time to adjust to his words.

“I’ll be waiting in the car.”

Before he left, he slipped out a picture from his jacket and laid it on the coffee table in front of Melinda. It was from one of Phil’s birthday celebrations. He was grinning as he sat in between Melinda and Nick in front of his red, white and blue cake, Maria was next to Melinda, with Clint and Natasha photobombing behind them.

Melinda picked up the photo with trembling hands, took a shuddering breath, and followed him out.


	5. Our Girl (Daisy & Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Happy Family [Turns out that Philinda are Skye/Daisy's actual parents, not Jiaying and Calvin]
> 
> Set between Season 1 and 2.

Melinda stared at the results in the folder, her heart in her throat.

This was impossible.

Her daughter died right after birth. Melinda still remembered Phil’s hands squeezing hers as Dr. Zabo and the head nurse, Jiaying, rushed their daughter to the emergency room to try and save her. Melinda wasn’t about to let her baby out of her sight for long, and Phil couldn’t argue with her. He firmly told her she had to sit in the wheelchair and he pushed her in the direction the doctor went. 

They made it just in time to see their baby girl’s heart monitor as it flat lined.

They never even got to hold her.

Melinda had told herself she was being foolish when she requested a maternity test. Skye having Phil’s mannerisms and her brown eyes couldn’t have been anything more than coincidence. But she couldn’t rid herself of the niggling doubt in the back of her mind, so she’d done it anyway.

Now as she stood in the BUS’s lab, the positive results were staring at her in the face, and she felt like she couldn’t breathe.

“Jemma,” Melinda said, the girl had been thankfully silent, allowing her to process the information. “Please go get Director Coulson and ask him to meet me here.”

Jemma left without saying a word.

Phil entered the lab–seconds? Minutes? Hours? later. Melinda was too dazed too know for sure. He looked confused and concerned. Jemma didn’t return with him. “May, what’s wrong?”

Melinda gazed at him, the folder sat on the table right by her, but Phil’s eyes were solely focused on her. “Melinda?”

“She was dead,” Melinda choked out. “She was _dead_ , how could this have happened?”

Phil’s eyes widened and he went to her, running his hands down her arms gently, completely forgetting about the boundaries they set around themselves all those years ago. The ones they set so they never had to experience that kind of heartbreak again. 

“Who was dead?” Phil became more desperate as a tear slipped down her face. “Hey, hey, it’s alright. You’re okay.” He cradled her face and wiped it away with his thumb. 

Melinda stepped into his arms, gripping onto him like a lifeline as she trembled. Phil murmured comforting words and ran his hands through her hair and down her back, calming her like only he knew how to.

“Phil,” Melinda finally looked up into his eyes. Phil felt his heart squeeze in his chest at the raw emotion he saw there. 

Before he could stop himself, he touched his lips to hers. 

Melinda’s hands held on tightly to the lapels of his jacket and she moved with him. Phil kissed away the bitter saltiness of her tears, wishing he could kiss away her pain as easily. 

“Tell me.” Phil whispered as he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling.

“Skye, she’s…” Melinda’s breath hitched again. “She’s our daughter.”

Phil froze, the pain he’d buried after the loss of their child came rushing back. Melinda withdrew from him and handed him the folder. He opened it and his lips parted in shock as he read the results. 

His hand shook and he was quiet for a few moments before he spoke again. “Lin,” Phil breathed, wonder written over his face. “She’s our girl?”

Melinda gave a wobbly smile and nodded slightly. “I don’t know _how_ , or what this means, or what she’ll think but–”

“We’ll figure it out. We always do.” Phil dropped the folder back down and took Melinda back into his arms, giving a lingering kiss to the palm of her hand as she touched his cheek. “Together.” A question lingered in his blue eyes, like he was waiting for her to confirm his thoughts.

“Together.” Melinda repeated as she pulled his head down to hers for a different kiss. A sweet kiss full of promise and hope.


	6. Academy Pranks (Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda + Pranks ["You went too far." "I'm sor-" "This means WAR!!!"]
> 
> Academy Philinda.

“ _Melinda!_ ” Phil yelled as he pounded on her door.

Melinda squashed down the smile threatening to take over her face.

“What is it, Phil? I’m studying for a test.” She called from the safety of her bed.

“I know it was you, open this door!”

Melinda rolled her eyes and got up from her bed, strolling to the door and unlocking it. “I don’t know what the big deal is–” Melinda choked on her words as she got a look at her best friend. 

He was _covered_ with baby powder from her latest prank. It was all in his hair and on his clothes. Melinda reached and brushed some off his cheek before giving into her laughter, needing to lean on the door frame to hold herself up.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” Phil glared, the white powder making his frown lines more prominent. Every time Melinda opened her eyes long enough to look at him, she cracked up again. “It’s one thing to mess with me, it’s another thing to mess with  _Lola!_ You went too far!”

Melinda hiccuped as she tried to regain her composure. “Okay, okay, I’m sor–”

“This means _war!_ ”

Phil turned on his heel and walked away. Melinda’s giggles filled the hallway as he left a white trail behind him.


	7. Water Balloon Fight (Daisy & Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda from another character’s perspective + Philinda as Parents 
> 
> Philinda AU with Daisy as their daughter.

“The targets are on the front porch, repeat, targets are on the front porch.” Skye hunkered down in the bushes on the side of her house, speaking into the walkie talkie Mom and Dad bought for her birthday two days ago. 

She heard static for a moment before Jemma’s voice crackle in, “Are you sure this is a good idea? I know Mr. and Mrs. Coulson are nice, but they’re also a bit scary.”

Skye ‘pfffft’d as she checked to make sure her bucket of water balloons were ready. “They’re pushovers. This’ll be _easy_.”

Skye watched her parents through the bushes. They were hosting their annual Fourth of July picnic and the whole gang was there, from Tony and Pepper to Uncle Fury–even Thor was able to make it. As a result, the whole house was chaotic and _very_ loud. After being busy preparing food all day, Mom and Dad must have needed a breather.

Well, okay, _Dad_ had been busy preparing food for tonight. Mom mostly cut the vegetables and kept Dad from going insane.

Skye shook her head as she remembered a conversation she’d heard when she had passed by the kitchen that morning.

_“Clint keeps volunteering me for different food items. He just texted me that he told Nat I’d be making those brownies she loves. Doesn’t he realize how much of an art those are? I’ve already got three different things going in the oven!”  
_

_“You can fit a pair of brownies in there, Phil, it’ll be fine.”  
_

_“Of course I can, because I’m_ that good _, but how dare he take that for granted.”_

_“The nerve.” Skye grinned at her mom’s tone and_ _stopped in the hallway, unseen by her parents._

_“You’re laughing at me.” Dad’s voice carried the slight whine he used when he was trying to get Mom to pay attention to him._

_Skye heard the tell-tale squeak of someone standing up from one of their kitchen chairs. “I’m trying to keep you from going crazy, is what I’m doing.”_

_There was a pause before Dad’s voice said, his tone a little lower, “You’re not doing a very good job. If anything, you drive me crazier.”_

_“Well, I can leave you kno-”_

_Skye grimaced at their flirting and at what she was sure they were doing. Right there. In the kitchen she_ ate in _. Skye risked a glance around the doorway and yup, sure enough, Dad had her all wrapped up and was kissing her against the counter._

_“Daaaaaaddd!”  
_

Skye shook her head to dissipate the memory. She was on a mission with Jemma and Fitz. Operation Water Balloon Fight. And Mom and Dad were the lucky targets. 

“Okay, Jemma, if I know my dad, he’s gonna be so focused on Mom that he won’t even notice us sneaking from the sides. Just don’t get in Mom’s line of sight. We’ve just got to wait till they get all wrapped up in their ooey-gooey gushiness and we’ll strike. Fitz, you’re backup. On my mark.”

“Yeah, yeah. I fixed my watergun, it’ll shoot farther now!” Fitz’s accent was harder to understand over the static of their walkie talkies, and Skye had to hush him and Jemma before the two of them blew her cover by talking about the mechanics of the water gun.

Skye squinted and calculated how far she would have to sneak before she could nail Dad with her water balloons. She watched as Dad put his arm around Mom and leaned against the railing of the house. Mom put her hands on his chest and gave him that special smile she only gave to him and Skye, the one that usually led to a–there it was. Dad moved his head down to hers and kissed her forehead, nose, then lips. 

Time to start moving in.

“They’re so _sweet_.” Jemma whispered through the radio.

“Shhh. Count down from 10, then attack.” Skye answered. But, as she snuck across the grass toward her parents, she kinda had to agree with her friend. Mom and Dad were probably the grossest adults out there, but Skye never had any doubt as to whether they loved each other–or her, for that matter. Their love filled her heart with happiness, and she wouldn’t have it any other way; gross, badly-timed kissing and all.

“…two, ONE!” Skye launched the water balloons as fast as she could, laughing hysterically when one hit Dad square in the chest, spraying his surprised face with water.

Mom laughed until Jemma got her from the other side. When Mom looked, Jemma shrieked immediately before turning and running, grabbing Fitz by the arm as he tried to get a few shots in. Skye’s parents looked at each other for a second before nodding and coming after their daughter. 

Skye yelled and dove for more water balloons from her bucket, trying to fend them off. But they reached her too quickly. Her laughter slowed her down and Dad had her pinned to the ground in seconds.

Skye screamed “Truce! Truce!” As Mom picked up one of her water balloons. 

Mom threw the water balloon up in the air and caught it thoughtfully. “You know who would be more fun to use these on?”

Dad paused in his tickling of Skye’s belly and looked up at his wife, a mischievous smile on his face. “Clint.”

“And Natasha.”

“And Uncle Fury!”

Jemma and Fitz were fun partners, but with her parents on her team, this was gonna be _epic_.


	8. He Needs Her (Rosalind & Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda from another character’s perspective [Rosalind observes Philinda during or after a mission that injures May]
> 
> Canon Divergence, set in 3x09

The bullet was meant for her.

Agent May wasn’t supposed to be there. It was supposed to be a quiet, apology dinner between her and Phil for what had happened between them. 

It was going well too, then May had rushed in. Phil’s focus was immediately on the Asian woman.

_“May, what is it?”  
_

_May scanned the room, her gun cocked and ready. She drew right next to Rosalind and spoke quickly._

_“Ward was spotted in this area, you need to get ou–”  
_

_There was the sound of glass being broken and her voice was cut off; her brown eyes went wide._

_Phil and Rosalind looked at the window where a perfect circle had been cut out of the glass, shock causing them to freeze. Phil looked back at Melinda, terror spreading across his face in a way Rosalind had never seen before._

_Agent May placed a hand to her abdomen, lips parting and face contorting into pain._

_“May,” Rosalind heard Phil breathe. She still couldn’t move, but Phil jumped up and flew to the woman, catching her as she began to crumple. “Melinda! No, no. Melinda, stay with me!”_

_“Please, listen to my voice.”_

_“Just keep breathing.”_

_“No.”  
_

_“May,_ Melinda!”

Rosalind blinked the memory away, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stared into the medical pod. Phil hadn’t moved in hours. He just sat there, staring at the agent that saved her life. 

Everything had been put on hold while they made sure the woman was stable. Daisy, Dr. Simmons and Fitz, Agents Mack, Morse, and Hunter, and more agents she didn’t know the names of had all come and visited, more than a few of them with signs of recent tears. Rosalind had very rarely seen the injury of an agent effect so many people; it was a moving scene.

They had nearly lost her. It was a miracle that she survived the bullet wound, the escape, and the ride to base, but she was a fighter. Rosalind wasn’t easily impressed, but this woman had gained her respect, and she hadn’t even been conscious.

Daisy appeared and stepped up by Rosalind, crossing her arms as well.

“Thank you for calling extraction and getting them here safely.” Daisy said, not taking her eyes off the figure on the hospital bed.

_“Ros, we need an extraction.” He threw her his phone with one hand as he cradled Agent May in his arms, trying to stop the blood. His breathing was erratic and he was sweating._ _His desperation causing her fingers to fly over the screen as she called for backup._

Rosalind shifted. The girl still made her uncomfortable, but she could tell how much Agent May meant to her. She nodded. “She saved my life. That bullet was heading for me, Ward said so himself. I overheard his conversation to Phil.”

Daisy tensed at the mention of Ward’s name. “What else did he say?”

Rosalind took a breath. “He said, ‘Now you know how it feels to watch someone you care about–someone you _love_ –bleed out in front of you.’” Rosalind glanced at Daisy’s scowl.

“He needs to die,” Daisy stated viciously. 

Rosalind smirked slightly at her ferocity. “From the look on Phil’s face, it seems like he wants to do it himself. In the most painful way possible.”

“I don’t blame him. Ward nearly killed May. He came closer than anyone ever has before.” Daisy’s voice became thick with emotion. “If she had died, there’s no telling what Coulson would have done. What _we_ would have done.”

Rosalind paused. She swallowed before cutting right to the chase. “He loves her.” Daisy’s head snapped towards her. She just looked back steadily. “Doesn’t he?”

Daisy looked at a loss for words for a moment before nodding slowly. “Yeah, yeah he does.” She looked back at Phil. “I think they’ve always loved each other. But sometimes it takes almost losing someone to realize just how much they mean to you.”

Rosalind nodded her understanding and turned her attention back to the pod.

Phil was now standing above the hospital bed, Agent May’s hand in his. May was looking up at him, grimacing. She said something, and his answer caused her to smile slightly before she winced again. Phil touched her shoulder, her cheek, never taking his eyes off her.

He did love her. It was clear as day. She was his partner, as he’d said, but she was also more than that. He needed her. She’d heard him admit it himself.

_“Melinda, I need you to stay with me, please. Look at me, I need you.”_

_“I_ need _you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this was one of my favorite prompts I've ever written. It still chokes me up to read, and I love seeing Philinda from other people's perspectives. Just had to say that. Continue reading! Haha


	9. Best Day Ever (Daisy & Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda as Parents [Philinda had been trying to have a baby, without success they adopted Daisy, but now Melinda is pregnant]
> 
> Philinda AU.

“Daddy!” Daisy yelled happily and waved when she saw Phil pull up in the driveway. 

Melinda stood next to her, smiling at their little girl’s enthusiasm. The four year old was practically vibrating with excitement while Phil parked the car, only running to him after he had turned it off and was stepping out of the door.

“How’s my Angel Eyes?” Phil grunted as she jumped in his arms. He swung her around and she giggled in his ear. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Daddy.” Daisy gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I wanna show you the new baby doll Mommy bought me today!”

“Mommy bought you a new baby doll, huh?” Phil shut his door and looked up at his wife with a smile.

Daisy nodded excitedly, brown hair bouncing. “She closes her eyes when you lay her down!”

Daisy continued to chat about the new doll as Phil made his way to Melinda, giving her a thorough kiss, despite his arms being full with his daughter.

“Ewww, Daddy!” Daisy giggled and buried her face into his neck so she didn’t have to watch.

Melinda smiled warmly at Phil and took his hand as they walked into their house. Daisy immediately jumped out of Phil’s arms and dragged them to the living room where she’d set up her doll’s bed.

“Smart,” Phil whispered to Melinda while Daisy was preoccupied singing to the baby. They’d been trying to figure out the best way to bring up the news of Melinda’s pregnancy with their daughter. After years of trying to have a child of their own without success, they were beyond surprised at the little plus sign that had appeared on the pregnancy test. After the shock and joy came worry. They’d only recently adopted Daisy, what was she going to think about a baby coming into the mix?

“I know.” Melinda smirked back. Worry began to creep back into her eyes. “What if–”

“No, no, no. Don’t start that.” Phil hushed her, his thumb rubbing circles onto the back of her hand soothingly. “Let’s tell her right now. She’ll be ecstatic, you’ll see.”

“Tell me what?”

The adults snapped their heads toward their all-too-perceptive four year old. She had her doll cradled in her arms, just like Melinda did when she used to have nightmares.

Melinda looked at Phil as if to say, _This is your fault. You handle it._

“Here, let’s sit on the couch.” Phil scooped up his daughter and their tiny family snuggled on the couch together.

“Daisy, Angel Eyes, you know we love you, right?” Phil started, holding her close in his arms.

“Yes.” Daisy said slowly, her brown eyes widened, looking eerily similar to Melinda’s when she was trying not to be scared or worried. “Did I do something wrong?” She said in a tiny voice.

“No, honey, not at all.” Phil hugged her and Melinda kissed her cheek in assurance.

“We were just wondering,” Melinda said as she ran her hands through her daughter’s long hair. “What would you think if your doll was a real baby? One you got to hold and kiss and sing to sleep?”

Daisy frowned and answered seriously. “I can’t take care of a real baby, Mommy. I’m only four.”

Melinda tried to hold back a laugh. “Yes, I understand, but what if you became a big sister? Would you like to sing and hold a little baby brother or sister?”

Daisy gasped comically and sat up on Phil’s lap. “Are you gonna have a baby?”

Melinda smiled even as her eyes misted over. Just hearing the words out loud made her emotional. “Yes, Daisy, I am.”

Daisy clapped her hands over her mouth, her next words were muffled. “And I get to be a big sister?”

This time, both Melinda and Phil laughed out loud. “That’s right, Angel.”

_“This is the best day ever!”_

Daisy tackled Melinda on the couch and kissed her cheek several times. Naturally, Phil had to get in his kisses too, on _both_ his girls.

“Hey, Mommy?” Daisy held up a finger to her chin thoughtfully, after the kisses were all done.

“Yes?” Melinda’s smile lit up the room.

“Can you make _sure_ it’s a girl?”


	10. Now or Never (Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fix/Add a Scene [Now or never kiss right right before Phil goes into the alien city to save Skye]
> 
> Canon Divergence, set in 2x10.

_“No. You can barely stand, let alone–”_ Melinda tried not to let the panic show on her face, but she felt her heart racing inside of her chest. She would rather risk herself and go down there after Skye. They needed to get to her, but Phil was hurt. She couldn’t let him–

_“I put her on this path. I have to try to make it right.”_ Phil felt his determination take over his body, masking the pain from his injuries. He tried to ignore the worried look Melinda was giving him. _“If we’re not back before the bombs go off, get everyone to the Bus. Just because Whitehall’s dead doesn’t mean HYDRA’s gonna pack up and go home.”  
_

_“Phil–”_ Melinda moved until she was right in front of him, fear filled her body as he spoke. They already lost Mack to…to _something_. What if it took over him too? What if she lost him and the girl she thought of as a daughter in one fell swoop? And all the while she’d be up here, helpless and unable to protect them. She felt desperation surge through her body.

_“I’m not saying this is a good plan, but–”  
_

Melinda’s lips cut him off.

A surprised noise came out of Phil before he groaned and began to move his own lips against hers.

She kissed him fiercely, holding him by his Kevlar vest as his free hand got lost and tangled in her dark hair. She didn’t care about the sweat or the blood on his face, she just cared about _him;_ being close to him; letting her actions speak the words she couldn’t manage to utter out loud.

Melinda broke away first–both of them were breathing hard. She pressed one more gentle kiss on his lips before moving back to hit the red button. 

“Go get our girl, and both of you _come home_.” Melinda spoke, her voice harsh with emotion, but her eyes were soft.

Phil nodded, determination settling back on his face. 

They shared one last meaningful look before Phil jumped down into the darkness, and Melinda didn’t move until he came back to her.


	11. Dreams and Nightmares (The Team & Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Do a reverse version of your amazing fic of when Phil can't sleep (http://archiveofourown.org/works/7123567). Give May nightmares and her holding back tears because its another dream of something bad happening to her 'screwed up little family'. Give me the angst.
> 
> Can be read as a sequel to this fic (http://archiveofourown.org/works/7348840)
> 
> Set between Season 3 and 4.

_“May, come join us!” Daisy laughed as Mack threw another snowball at her.  
_

_Jemma yelled as Fitz got her in the back with the snow. “You’ll pay for that!”_

_Even Hunter and Bobbi were there participating in the snowball war. Lincoln grabbed Daisy around the waist and she shrieked as his cold hands brushed her sides._

_Melinda smiled as she watched her team laugh and play around her, feeling more at peace than she had in years. She felt…_ happy _._

_She felt someone come up behind her and suddenly she was being kissed._

_The press of Phil’s lips was as sweet as the day he’d kissed her in her office. She kept her eyes closed, but she smiled as his lips moved over hers._

Finally, _she thought._

_He pulled away from her. “I love you.”_

_“I love you too.” She opened her eyes to look at Phil, but he wasn’t there._

_He slipped from her fingers._

_Taken away from her, again._

_He was gone._

_The light dimmed. She heard screaming._

_“Hunter and Bobbi are a part of this team, we can’t just leave them!”_

_“Lincoln, NO!”_

_“We have to do something!”  
_

_Daisy was sobbing._

_Fitz was rocking back and forth, head in his hands._

_Jemma was on the ground, motionless, like she had been on the Zepher._

_Melinda ran to her, smoothing her hair back._

_“No, no, no.” She cried._

_She couldn’t protect her. She couldn’t protect any of them._

_Daisy started running away. Melinda chased after her._

_“Daisy, no. Please, don’t go! We need you! We can’t protect you if–”_

_“I don’t need protecting, and you’re not my mother!” Daisy screamed back._

_Melinda froze and fell to the ground, the stinging of her knees was nothing in comparison to the piercing pain in her heart._

_Bobbi and Hunter were gone._

_Lincoln was dead._

_Daisy was gone._

_Phil was gone._

_Everything was crumbling around her, she couldn’t hold it up by herself._

_She couldn’t protect her team._

_Her team._

_Her family._

_Her home._

Melinda jerked awake with tears on her face. Her pillow was wet, and she was trembling. 

Even in this state, she made her hands into fists and faced the person who caused her bed to dip to the side, ready to fight the intruder.

“May, it’s me. You’re okay. Shh.” Phil took her fist and held it in both his hands.

Melinda realized she was still crying. She took deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

Phil reached out and gently wiped the track of tears from her cheek. She thought he would immediately remove his hand, but he left it there, moving strands of hair away from her face and catching every fresh tear that fell.

“Phil?” Melinda was finally able to speak, but she still fought to slow down her breathing. “What are you–”

“We got here a few hours earlier than planned. I almost decided to let you sleep, but I…couldn’t wait to see you.” He shrugged, trying not to look embarrassed. “I’m glad I came though.” He swept her last tear away with his thumb and spoke quietly. “Wanna talk about it?”

Melinda hesitated just a moment before she leaned up and threw her arms around his neck. He immediately hugged her back, his arms going around her waist naturally.

After Melinda’s breaths became steady, Phil spoke. “Hey, isn’t this my shirt?”

Melinda smiled slightly. “Maybe.” 

Phil rested his chin on her shoulder and chuckled. “Thief.”

Melinda pulled back to face her partner. She wet her lips and hoped her eyes would speak for her. “Thank you.”

Phil just smiled back. It was his turn to hesitate before pressing a tender kiss to Melinda’s lips. 

Her grip on his neck became tighter until she opened her eyes and saw him there, still smiling, eyes warm and soft, and Melinda spoke without thinking.

“Stay with me tonight?”

Phil nodded.

That night, they kept each other’s nightmares away.


	12. Late Night Drinks (Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fix/Add a Scene [The days and weeks following the loss of Phil's hand are rough. Melinda helps him through it.]
> 
> Set between the finale of Season 2 and the beginning of Season 3.

“You all packed?”

“Yes.”

A moment of silence.

“You’re all booked for wherever you’re going?”

“I’ve arranged my own travels before, Phil.”

“Right.” Phil nodded and took another sip of his scotch, trying to ignore the itch of his arm in the sling. It was the last night before Melinda went on vacation–for a still undetermined amount of time–and the last time they’d sit together for a while. 

Although Melinda hadn’t outright said it, Phil knew this vacation wasn’t just going to be a few weeks long. But he knew more than anyone that if there was someone on base who deserved it, she did.

Melinda had an uncanny way of knowing what Phil needed before he even knew he needed it himself. Her help during his recovery had been invaluable, but he was going to have to figure out how to cope without her.

And he wasn’t looking forward to it.

“You know we would have had more scotch if someone hadn’t taken the liberty of drinking it already.” Phil teased gently, trying to push his gloomy thoughts away.

Melinda let out a humorless chuckle. “I needed it more than you during that conversation. And I’m going to need a lot more alcohol on this vacation to talk about what needs to be talked about.” She took a sip, as if in preparation.

Phil smiled into his drink, and a relaxed silence fell over them. 

After a moment, Melinda set down her empty glass and looked at Phil with a slight smile. 

“Who will help you with these while I’m gone?” Melinda reached over and tugged on his tie.

Phil looked down where her fingers were and forced a smile. “I’ll figure it out. I’ve got to learn how to do it on my own eventually anyway.”

Melinda’s face changed. “Phil–”

“I’ll be fine, Lin.” He used her old nickname, hoping it would reassure her. The last thing he wanted to do was keep her from taking time for herself. It felt like he was cutting off his right hand in addition to his left, but this was about _her_. Not him, not the team, not SHIELD. Just Melinda. Whatever was best for her, that was what was important right now.

Phil looked at into her eyes and his smile softened. “You deserve this. Consider it a mandatory vacation if you want, because I’m not going to let you _not_ take it.”

“Ahh, so you want me to leave?” Melinda picked up the almost-empty bottle of scotch and shook it playfully. “You want to restock and keep it all to yourself, is that it?”

Phil huffed in indignation, but his words were sincere. “Trust me, you leaving is the last thing I want.” He was going to miss that annoying smirk of hers. “But you don’t need to worry about us. Just make sure you do whatever you need to do.”

_And come home when you’re done._

Phil hoped Melinda had heard his silent plea. She just smiled and nodded slightly. 

There was still a lot unspoken between them. Questions, angry words, and a thousand apologies that were long overdue. But for now, those could wait. For now, they just enjoyed the silent companionship that was somehow only comfortable when they were with each other.

He hugged her briefly before she left that night, grateful that she didn’t pull away. He inhaled her scent deeply and committed the sensation to memory before releasing her.

Phil did eventually go out to restock his scotch while she was gone, but it stayed in the hidden drawer, untouched, until Melinda came back home.


	13. Not-So-Private Conversations (Mack & Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Philinda from another character’s perspective [Mack never fully understood the relationship between Coulson and May until a building fell on the two of them. (Take of that what you will! :) ]

“Sir, where are you?” Mack kept his voice calm, but inwardly he was itching to dive into the rubble until he found his two teammates. “Are either of you hurt?”

“May was knocked out by rubble, but I’ve got her. She’ll wake up soon. Right now we’re surrounded by debris and–” Coulson coughed from the dust settling around him. “We can’t move out of this vent without the rest of it falling on top of us. Be careful when you’re trying to get us out. Is everyone else okay?”

“Yes, sir. You got them to leave just in time, anyone who was caught in the building was close enough to the outside for us to grab them. Now I’ll–”

“Agent Mackenzie?” Coulson’s voice became louder. “Mack, I’m losing you.”

Mack pressed the comm in his ear. “I can hear you just fi–”

“Mack? I’m hearing silence. If you can still hear me, just hurry up. May’s going to need medical.” Coulson cursed the comms under his breath.

“Coulson?”

No response. Coulson’s comm must have gotten damaged in the accident. But Mack could still hear breathing and coughing every now and then, so he immediately went into rescue mode. He called up Fitzsimmons and explained the situation. They came up with a plan to extract Coulson and May, but they had to be careful. One wrong move and they could be crushed by the remaining debris.

Mack stood behind the extraction team, pacing back and forth as they moved slowly–too slowly. What he wouldn’t give to have Yoyo here with him right now.

He heard groaning through his comm. “Coulson? May?”

Still no answer. But Coulson must have kept his comm in his ear because Mack could hear everything.

“May? Hey, are you okay? How’s your head?”

“Hurts.” Was her short response.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get my shield up fast enough. You shouldn’t have jumped in the way like that.” Coulson’s voice became more gentle. 

“Well,” May’s voice became dry, even though it was still slightly pained. “I’m sure it was easier for you to pull me in here than it would have been for me to pull _your_ dead weight.”

Mack smirked. May’s sense of humor was always perfectly timed.

Coulson huffed, but before he could reply, May’s voice crackled through the comms again.

“Did everyone else make it out?”

Mack shook his head with a smile. There they were, in the middle of a collapsed building, and their first questions were about the others. That was one of the reasons they made such great leaders, in Mack’s opinion. They cared about their people and their safety more than their own.

“Yeah, Mack told me they were good before the comms cut out. I told him to hurry up.”

“Good advice.” 

Mack heard movement and May grunted.

“Careful,” Coulson’s voice took on that soft quality again. “Just put your head on my chest, Lin, it’ll be softer than that piece of metal.” 

“Thanks.” Mack heard May answer quietly, followed by a shuffle. _Lin?_ He was starting to wonder whether he should keep listening or not. But he had to make sure what the extraction team was doing wasn’t causing even more danger for them.

The two agents were silent for a while. Mack watched as the team made progress into the building and pondered Coulson and May’s relationship. He’d always wondered if there were feelings that went beyond their professional partnership and close friendship. Everyone wondered that, Mack was sure. Even Yoyo had asked the other night. But with everything that had been happening lately, especially with their quest to find Daisy, those musings had been put in the back of his mind. Now they were back and buzzing after hearing the intimacy between their voices when they thought no one was listening.

“Your hair is more tangled than usual.” Coulson’s voice sounded apologetic. Mack’s eyebrows drew together as he tried to understand the random comment. “Is this making your headache worse?”

“That usually happens when I get buried under a building.” Was May’s smart reply. Her voice sounded a little louder. She must be closer to the comm in Coulson’s ear. “And no,” May let out a slow breath. “It feels good.”

Oh.

_Oh_.

Mack suddenly had an image of May laying on Coulson’s chest, with his hand was running through her hair. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable listening to their private conversation.

“Keep moving, people!” Mack shouted encouragement to the team. “We’ve got to get to them as quickly as possible, let’s go!”

After another moment of silence, Mack heard Coulson muse out loud. “Why is it that the only way we can seem to find alone time is when we’re in danger and/or close to death?”

May chuckled. “The glamorous life of an agent–or Director–of SHIELD.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Coulson paused again, then his voice sounded lower. “But hey, why not take advantage of the moment?”

Mack froze where he stood.

That was _definitely_ the sound of kissing. 

Mack cursed the perfect clarity of the comms.

“Phil,” May said, her sigh making Mack want to throw the speaker out of his ear. “It’s already hard to breathe in here.”

“You never mentioned me having that effect on you. Good to know.”

May’s light laugh was muffled, presumably by Agent Coulson’s lips. 

Mack groaned and instantly regretted ever wondering about their personal relationship. Not that he wasn’t happy for them, but he would _much_ rather never have to hear them making out over comms again. _Ever_.

“Wait, I hear something.” Hearing May’s voice was a welcome change from the other sounds he was being subjected to.

“Sir,” someone shouted to Mack. “We’ve almost reached them.”

“Thank the _Lord_.” Mack muttered.


	14. What Did You See? (Philinda)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon Divergence, written as a tag to 4x05.

Phil could _feel_ her eyeroll–despite the fact that he was staring at the back of her head. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail as she changed Tai Chi positions. Phil found himself thinking about how much he liked her hair at this longer length before he was able to shove down his admiration and focus on the reason he was there.

“Is there even the slightest chance you’re going to let it go?” Melinda sounded dry and tired, and yet…hesitant? An unusual tone for his partner.

“Nope.” Phil kept his voice light as he clicked the door to her room shut and leaned against it. She knew he was the only one at base who would dare enter her room without waiting for a response to the knock, and she knew why he sought her out. He wanted to know more.

Melinda took in a deep breath and smoothly switched positions, turning to the side so Phil had a view of her profile. Watching Melinda do Tai Chi always relaxed him, ever since the Academy. Her graceful movements and serene expression eased away his tension, and she radiated in a way that made it difficult for him to look away.

“You said I was there, but you didn’t say what happened. Was it a dream?” Phil mused aloud, watching as her body grew more tense the more he spoke. “A nightmare?  A memory? Something…else?”

Melinda finally dropped her hands to her sides and threw him a look of exasperation, and he raised his eyebrows innocently at her in response. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready to go out on another mission?” Melinda gestured to his suit and tie.

“I’ve still got time,” Phil answered easily. Melinda shook her head and strode over to grab her water bottle from her desk, which stood right by the door.

“Well? I’m just wondering what could have happened, because you’re deliberately not telling me, which makes me think it must not have been good.”

Melinda’s water bottle barely touched her lips before she put it down, not taking a single sip. She just looked at him instead, her eyes intense with emotion Phil couldn’t decipher.

“I mean, were you seeing me in the infected zombie form?” Phil continued, hoping she would get fed up with him and tell him before the curiosity ate him alive. He wasn’t sure what it was, but the way Melinda was acting made him suspicious. His heart was beating faster for reasons he didn’t stop to think about, and he felt like he _needed_ to know what she saw. It was important somehow. A piece of a larger puzzle that he needed in order to solve it. “Was it–”

Suddenly, Melinda’s hand yanked at his tie and Phil stumbled into her. Her lips pressed against his in the most _captivating_ way. He barely had a chance to touch his hands to her waist before she pulled away. 

“That,” Melinda’s voice was slightly breathless, making her impossibly more attractive as she looked up at him with dark, imploring eyes. “That’s what I saw.”

Phil just stared at her in disbelief, trying to process what this meant. For him. For _them_. He could see the uncertainty in Melinda’s eyes, and knew he had to assure her quickly before the curtains were drawn over her emotions and she withdrew from him.

“Well,” Phil said slowly. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

Melinda’s eyebrows drew together and she opened her mouth to respond before Phil stepped back into her space and smiled softly, one arm circling around her waist and drawing her closer to himself. His other hand slid around her neck. “It would have been nice to know that I could have done this earlier.”

He bent his head and caught a glimpse of her smile right before he kissed her.


End file.
